If your house was built over five years ago, and you have a security system in place, chances are its missing out on the latest technology. Sure, your system provides some peace of mind in that that something is monitoring your house when you’re away.  You likely have sensors attached to windows and doors, and a control system that can be armed and disarmed.  When armed, your system can notify a monitoring center about a door or window that has been unexpectedly opened or broken.

If you have one of these systems, they are not very smart by today’s standards. And they can be fairly cryptic.  Does your system illuminate a red light on a panel that corresponds to one of your doors when it’s opened?  If you have multiple outside doors in a large house, you need a cheat sheet to know which one – typically not what you have on you when the monitoring company calls you to say the number 6 door has been opened with the system armed while you are away.

Thankfully, the combination of today’s electronics, smart sensors, software, and cloud connectivity pack current security systems with far more intelligence than ever before.  Let’s explore the latest in home security system features that you will want for your Minnetonka MN home.

This year’s CEDIA was a big event, and few manufacturers made a bigger showing than Control4.

With a whole new operating system that increases capabilities and customization, now’s the perfect time to work with a Control4 certified home automation installer that can give you the command you want in your Edina, MN property.

What did Control4 bring to the table at this year’s expo? This blog will show you. Just keep reading to find out how one of the leading smart control companies is changing the game yet again.

Shoplifting not only costs your business, but it’s so prevalent that it even affects the U.S. economy. According to the Annual Retail Theft Survey, companies lose an estimated $18 billion a year to theft. It’s easy for managers to shrug off everyday incidents—usually averaging less than $50—but the costs pile up quickly. Take a proactive approach to protect your Woodbury, MN property with these business security system features and tips.

In the excitement of a new home project, whether it’s a new build or a remodel, low-voltage wiring is one of those things that may get overlooked. Designers, builders, and homeowners may get wrapped up in the many other details of a project. Low-voltage wiring is much easier and less expensive to install before drywall is installed, and even if changes are required in that stage, it is relatively simple to do. If the requirements are not well thought out and planned early on, wiring can still be changed – but the project’s costs may increase, and some functionality may be compromised. 

Why is low-voltage wiring important? Today’s smart homes have many devices that will need to be enabled through low-voltage wiring. In fact, with today’s LED lighting technology, low-voltage wiring may be more extensive than electrical wiring in some cases!  As experts in all residential audio-video and smart home technology, Lelch Audio-Video is the low-voltage contractor you’ll want to bring in early in your next Lakeville MN project.

Let’s explore why low-voltage planning is so important.

With the dipping weather and kids returning to school, it seems much harder to keep everybody healthy during the second half of the year. So how can you be proactive and embrace a healthier lifestyle? Your smart home can enhance your physical and mental health in a variety of ways. From better ways to regulate your sleep to reducing common health hazards, check out some ways the right technology can transform day-to-day life in your Minnetonka, MN home.

Whether you’re in Silicon Valley or Lakeville, Minnesota, you’ve probably noticed how workplace culture is changing.

Instead of individual offices or cubicles, open floor plans dominate. It makes sense; the free flow of movement can increase collaboration and productivity.

And instead of your typical conference room, more and more businesses are implementing huddle rooms. These small spaces offer the privacy needed to break away and generate ideas among a small group of people.

But the thin walls of your office building may not offer the level of privacy necessary for your staff to communicate effectively. In those cases, sound masking is one of the best huddle room solutions.

In this blog, we’ll explore some of the benefits of implementing sound masking technology in your huddle rooms and throughout your workspace.

In a home theater, you really want to have an immersive experience, just like in the best movie theaters. You want the best quality visuals on your big screen - bright, high contrast, and artifact free. For sound, you want to feel like you are in the movie scene - whether its bullets flying above you, car crashes with impact, or whispered dialog in a tense scene that draws you into the drama.

To get the best quality visuals and sound in your home theater installation, you need great equipment. A critical part of delivering that experience falls on the audio-video processors and amplifiers in the home theater. In this blog, we want to take a closer look at the components that process and amplify the audio and video. In this area, Lelch recommends Anthem components. Anthem is part of the Paradigm family, which makes exceptional speakers as well. Let’s take a look at why Anthem components are the right choice to get that coveted cinema-quality audio and video in your theater in Minnetonka.

Your shades serve various roles. We’ve mentioned in the past the benefits of motorized shades ranging from style to security. Because of their versatility, though, it can be easy for things to go wrong every once in a while. With so many options ranging from aesthetics to applications, it can be overwhelming. In this blog, we're going to address four specific issues we encounter with our clients in Edina and throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area.